corrosive

adjective

cor·​ro·​sive kə-ˈrō-siv 

-ziv

1

: tending or having the power to corrode

corrosive acids

corrosive action

the corrosive effects of alcoholism

2

: bitingly sarcastic

corrosive satire

corrosive noun

corrosively adverb

corrosiveness noun

Synonyms of corrosive

• sarcastic
• satiric
• acidic
• acid
• barbed
• caustic

Examples of corrosive in a Sentence

She argues that racism is dangerous and corrosive to society.

a corrosive satire on the fashion industry and its movers and shakers

Recent Examples on the Web

The acid rain can also be corrosive, depending on the concentration, and accelerate the corrosion that buildings in Tehran face regularly due to the poor air quality, Driscoll said. —Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 10 Mar. 2026

Uncertainty is corrosive to efficient use of resources, so expect that both producers and consumers will suffer until final decisions are made, whether by the courts or in voting booths. —Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026

What if Scream 7 were about the way nostalgia has become a corrosive force in entertainment, where familiar IP wins out over original ideas, and in the country at large, where fascism promises a return to a past ideal that never existed? —Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026

Calcium chloride and potassium chloride can be corrosive to metal and concrete. —Markis Hill, Kansas City Star, 25 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English corrosif, borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin corrōsīvus, from Latin corrōsus, past participle of corrōdere "to gnaw, corrode" + -īvus -ive

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing corrosive

• corrosive sublimate

Rhymes for corrosive

• erosive
• explosive
• noncorrosive
• plosive

Kids Definition

corrosive

adjective

cor·​ro·​sive kə-ˈrō-siv 

-ziv

: tending or having the power to corrode

corrosive acids

corrosive noun

corrosively adverb

corrosiveness noun

Medical Definition

corrosive

1 of 2 adjective

cor·​ro·​sive -ˈrō-siv, -ziv 

: tending or having the power to corrode

corrosive acids

a corrosive gas

corrosiveness noun

corrosive

2 of 2 noun

: a substance that corrodes : caustic